MILAN – The fashion world is buzzing after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg made a surprise appearance at Prada’s fall/winter runway presentation in Milan on Thursday, sparking fresh rumors about a possible smart glasses collaboration between the tech giant and the luxury Italian fashion house.
The high-profile show featured creative directors Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons presenting their latest collection through just 15 models, each showcasing multiple outfits to emphasize the art of layering garments. The collection highlighted combinations like cropped winter coats paired with flowing lightweight dresses, embellished satin gowns, transparent skirts, and woolen knitwear.
“As a woman, your life is layered – each day demands not only a shifting of clothes, but a richness of identities within yourself,” Miuccia Prada explained in the show’s official notes.
The runway also featured vibrant handbags and distinctive low-heeled shoes with playful designs.
What captured attention beyond the fashion was the seating arrangement, with Zuckerberg and his spouse Priscilla Chan positioned directly next to Prada CEO Andrea Guerra and Lorenzo Bertelli, the brand’s heir and chief marketing officer.
This high-profile meeting comes months after Bertelli revealed to Reuters in November that Prada had engaged in “exploratory talks” with EssilorLuxottica regarding potential smart eyewear development under Prada’s brand names, though no final agreements were reached.
The connection becomes more intriguing given Prada’s existing licensing deal with EssilorLuxottica, the Franco-Italian eyewear company that already partners with Meta on developing artificial intelligence-enhanced glasses.
